The Start of Something Good
by markaleen
Summary: Rocky II - On their wedding night, Rocky looks back on meeting Adrian with excitement for the future. Essentially a drabble.


**Rocky has completely taken over my life as of late, so naturally, I wanted to try my hand at writing for the universe. I hope you enjoy!**

 **(I took a little bit of poetic license with the timeline as far as when Rocky and Adrian meet since I can'** **t recall it ever being stated?)**

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Rocky laid awake counting the watermarks on the ceiling. He never noticed them before. Twenty-eight he counted. Where did they come from? The bed must be underneath an upstairs bathtub. Another thing he started to wonder… why was he thinking about the stains on ceiling tiles? Why now? He looked to his side and smiled at the sight.

Adrian, snuggled at his side with her arm draped across his chest. She'd never slept this way before. Tonight she fell asleep close to her new husband instead of maintaining a certain distance. Rocky couldn't remember a time he'd been happier. First, he'd gone the distance with Apollo Creed. Now could go on and start a new life with Adrian. Everything was good now. Sure, fighting Creed came with some battle scars. Seeing out of one eye was more of a challenge than he liked to admit to aloud, and some funny colored bruises were still hanging on, but it was worth it. No longer would he be considered a bum. He made a name for himself. Not only did he manage to knock the champ down, he survived all fifteen rounds. Two things no one had ever done with Apollo Creed.

From the minute the final bell rang to laying here now on his wedding night, most of his thoughts centered on Adrian. Aside from the first few nights in the hospital, he didn't think about the fight. Other people thought about it as he was reminded wherever he went, but alone, it was all about Adrian. He wanted to give her as much as she'd given him. Not once did he think about how fast their relationship moved. Rocky felt as though Adrian had been with him for half his life as far as the way he cared for her went. They'd known each other a while, sure. She was Paulie's kid sister. Sometimes he wondered why he stayed friends with the guy. His good moments were few and far between. Adrian started working in the pet shop about two years ago. Paulie told him the night before, thrilled to see her getting out of the house 'even for a few hours in the day'. Before then, Rocky never met Adrian – he barely knew her name. For Paulie's sake, he went down to the pet shop on her first day. Besides, he was curious. Paulie spoke so harshly of her, yet, something inside of him couldn't believe it was all true. She must be a nice girl if she's working with animals, right? The pet shop wasn't out of his way, either. It was right across the street from the gym. He'd looked in the window now and then. One room apartments get lonely after a while. Everything added up – he would get a pet and also help Paulie's sister on her first day.

Adrian wasn't anything like he expected despite the fact he didn't have a specific image in his mind. He figured she was shorter like Paulie, but that was the only thing he'd assumed right. She wasn't ugly as Paulie would have him believe. He could, however, see why men might not be lined up outside the door to catch a glance. She wore thick glasses almost too big for her face. They seemed outdated, too. Her hair was short and black, which she kept pinned back. Her clothes, like her glasses, also looked outdated. If not outdated, then something an older woman might wear. If not older, a woman her age who was settled with a family and only left the house to run errands. Those things weren't so bad because anyone in their right mind could see how pretty she was underneath. Lastly, she was the quietest person he'd ever met. Paulie said she was shy, but Rocky figured she just didn't like to carry on long conversations. Poor Adrian couldn't look him in the eye. Noticing this right away, he was sure to do all the talking for her.

He introduced himself, telling her he knew her brother. It was hard to tell if she knew his name before now. Deciding it didn't matter, he told her what kind of pet he was looking for. Pointing out the different animals was the only time her voice was audible. Even then, the words were mumbled and she kept her head down. She struggled even with this safe topic of conversation. By the end of the visit, Rocky went home with two turtles and a mission. He wanted to see Adrian smile. It goes without saying that Paulie is a hard guy to live with. No wonder the girl didn't say much. He added visits to the pet shop to his daily routine. He stopped by, told a joke or two, chatted with her on days she humored him, and eventually bought a fish to keep the turtles company. Soon enough, it became his favorite part of the day.

Paulie didn't ease up on his sister. He continued calling her names and could say nothing good about her. Having met her now, Rocky felt even more drawn to her. He kept his deeper thoughts to himself for the most part. Without a doubt, Paulie would use this attraction against her in some way. Telling Adrian was also difficult, so he didn't – not in specific words. From time to time he'd suggest getting a slice of pizza or walking her home on a rainy day. Each time she shook her head. From any other woman, he would have taken the rejection personally.

Two years later and the shy girl from the pet store was lying next to him as his wife. All day the word went through his mind. When he hit twenty-five he figured he wouldn't marry. A family didn't appear to be in the cards. Of course, it would have been nicer if his relationship with Adrian could have evolved without a push from Paulie, but at the same time, he figured maybe nothing ever would have happened otherwise. It's funny how life works out sometimes. Having Adrian in his life made facing Creed easier. She gave him a reason to fight and to keep standing even when his entire body wanted to fall down on the mat and stay there until the pain stopped. She made the aftermath better, too. She came and visited him every day while he recovered. She sat with him in silence while he rested. Something so simple meant everything to him. One of the last afternoons he spent in the hospital after the nurse came and told her visiting hours were over, she stood to say her goodnights. Thinking he was asleep, she bent down to kiss his cheek. She lingered a moment, pressing her nose lightly along his jawline and whispered something he couldn't quite make out. Maybe she just breathed against him. Either way, this was the moment he knew he was going to marry her. No waiting, no games. The minute his head was unbandaged and was given the okay to go home he'd propose. How, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that he couldn't wait.

Adrian stirring in her sleep drew Rocky out of his thoughts. He turned his head to look at her, wondering if it would be okay to wake her up. He missed her voice. Until recently, he'd done most of the talking. The disease of being shy must have a cure, Rocky thought. Time, love, and trust. He was proud and thankful to be the one Adrian came to trust. It was all he wanted from the start. Sometimes he felt her slipping back to distrust, or maybe fear could be a disease as well. Earlier tonight she acted this way. She was scared she was going to lose him somewhere down the line. Why would she think about those things? Didn't she know she was the only one he'd ever been able to say he loved?

Adrian moved again. This time her eyes fluttered open. Had she not seen Rocky looking down at her with a smile, she would have shut them again.

"Is it morning?" she asked in a dry voice.

"Nuh, not yet."

"How long have you been awake?"

"I dunno," Rocky answered as he turned onto his side. "I kinda never slept I don't think."

Adrian yawned. "Is something the matter?"

"Yeah." He smiled. "But don't worry. It's all good, you know?"

"Good."

Rocky kissed the tip of her nose, waited for a smile, and then kissed her lips. Both of his arms wrapped around her and his head rested atop hers. He was glad when he felt her bury her nose in his neck and her hand tighten around his shoulder.

He started drifting off to sleep, at last, but ended up waking himself up when he asked, "Did I tell you tonight how much I love you?"

"Mhmm," Adrian replied with a similar sleepiness in her voice.

"Good, 'cause I do. Nothin' that happened to me would'a happened if youse hadn't been there. If it did, I don't think I would'a fought so hard or cared none."

Eyes opened again, she pulled back to reach his cheek. "I'm proud of you, Rocky. And I love you, too."

The end.


End file.
